6 WISCONSIN BULLETIN 224 



mated with the pure bred sires. For example, let it be assumed 

 that a pure bred Short Horn bull is mated with a common cow 

 of no known breeding. The bull is 100% pure. The cow has 

 no known purity and is counted as being 0% pure. Each off- 

 spring of this mating will have inherited equal characters from 

 both sire and dam, and will have 50% of pure and 50% of unim- 

 proved blood. 



In the second generation, the female of 50% purity is mated 

 with a bull of 100% purity, and the resulting calves contain 75% 

 of pure and 25% of unimproved blood. In the fourth genera- 

 tion, or after the use of four pure bred sires in succession, the 

 calves are 15/16 pure; and in the sixth generation or after.. a 

 period of fifteen to twenty years, the calves are 98.44% pure, 

 with only about 1%% of unimproved blood. Although to all 

 practical intents and purposes the offspring in this generation 

 resemble the pure bred animal, there never will come a time when 

 the offspring will be pure. There may be good grades, however, 

 as well fitted for the market as pure breds. 



How TO BUILD UP A GOOD BEEF HERD 



To build up a herd of good cattle, select pure bred sires of the 

 type and breed desired. Mate these with common cows, if bet- 

 ter cows of high grade or pure breeding are not available. Save 

 the female calves which most closely conform to the desired type. 

 Continue to mate these with good pure bred bulls and save the 

 best female offspring as before. Although total purity of blood 

 will never be attained in case only common or grade cows were 

 available for foundation stock, the desired type can be obtained 

 and a world of good along the line of improvement can be accom- 

 plished. 



In selecting bulls, for breeding purposes, choose from the so- 

 called special beef breeds, viz., Short Horn, Hereford, Aberdeen 

 Angus and Galloway. (See Figure 2.) The West Highland 

 breed (See Figure 3) is also classed with beef cattle. The Polled 

 Durhams may be classed with the Short Horns and the 

 Polled Herefords with the Herefords. 



SELECTING FEEDING CATTLE 



The block is the supreme and final test of the beef animal. The 

 butcher desires an animal that will deliver the highest percentage 



